Why Should I Report Unsafe Products?
Product safety is a consumer right not a privilege. Manufacturers and others are charged with providing safe products that consumers can rely on. However, all too often, mistakes in design or the manufacturing process can result in defective products coming to market.
How Do Defective Products Affect Consumers?
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that 29.4 million injuries occur every year due to defective products. On top of that, roughly 21,000 deaths happen annually because a product is poorly manufactured or designed. This costs in the area of $700 billion to treat and restore property damage.
What Types of Defective Products Can I Report?
The types of defective products you can report vary from auto defects to problems with medications. One thing they all have in common is that when used they will cause injuries, serious and otherwise. Both the company that manufactures the product and the consumer who uses it has the responsibility to file a report. The Consumer Product Safety Commission makes it easy to fulfill this responsibility.
Why Does a Company Have a Responsibility to Report a Defective Product?
Manufacturers not only have an ethical duty to report a defective product but a legal one. However, it is not only the manufacturer that has this duty. It is shared by retailers, distributors and importers. Failure to carry out this duty can result in legal complications.
Who Should Report Defects?
The people involved in building and moving the product through the chain of sale need to report defects in order to avoid consumer injuries and deaths. In addition, if a deviation from the rules or standards of production is noticed by anyone in the chain of sale, that too must be reported. The reporter has 24 hours to do so.
Consumers Must Also Report Defective Products
Consumers should also report defective products. To do this, the consumer is able to file a defective product report to the Consumer Product Safety Commission online. Just visit the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s website, and go to the link for filing a report. You can also telephone the CPSC at (800) 638-2772.
Other Way Consumers Can Report a Defective Product
Consumers can also report a defect in a product by contacting the retailer and the manufacturer. While it might seem difficult to effectively contact the manufacturing company, it isn’t that complex. The retailer can give you instructions on how to reach them.
Consumers are urged to do this since many times the manufacturer is unaware of the defect until consumers let them know about it. Once this is done, the manufacturer is obligated to contact the CPSC to let them know.
The Olinde Law Firm Can Help
The Olinde Law Firm can help you if you are injured by a defective product. Their experience and myriad resources can be used to file a product liability lawsuit against the manufacturer. Call us at (800) 587-1889, or contact us online to schedule a free case review. Meet with our lawyers, and they will answer your questions as well as give you your options moving forward.